A Lesson In Rain
by Mrs. Story
Summary: Why do you love the rain so much?" Chelsea asked Vaughn. "Why do you hate the rain so much?" Vaughn rebutted.


**Well, I can't explain where this idea came from except maybe from my deep hatred of rain, and my fear of thunder/lightening. So, reap the benefits of my weird-ness and enjoy! **

**Dedicated to: All the people who either abhor or adore the rain. Whichever. **

**-Disclaimed-**

* * *

**_A Lesson In Rain_**

* * *

"Look at that. _Look at that!_'' Chelsea demanded, sitting next to Vaughn.

''Chels, get over it.'' Vaughn advised gruffly, attempting to read.

''The rain needs to _get a life_. Go sofmewhere else and make everything wet.''

''Mhm.'' Vaughn's default reply.

''Maybe the clouds will disappear forever, and no more rain _or _clouds. It'd be perfect.'' Chelsea wondered as she stood up from the couch and made her way over to the kitchen, pouring herself a mug of hot chocolate.

''Mhm.'' Vaughn continued.

''Vaughn, are you listening to me?''

''Mhm.''

''Cool. So, I have news.'' Chelsea said, struggling to reach the marshmallows on the top shelf. She pouted and pulled a chair from the dining room.

''Mhm.'' Vaughn had officially seemed to fully focus on his literary work.

''Happened this morning too. I stood in front of the mirror, and after I brushed my teeth. I opened my mouth and took a good look at my tonsils. Yup, they were buggin' me, you know? So I just went and ripped 'em right out. Just like that.'' She said while craning for the bag filled with fluffy happiness.

''Mhm.''

Chelsea huffed. ''That's_ it_. Get out. If you're gonna come to my hfouse, then you are NOT gonna tune me out reading your damned books. What is it this time anyway?''

''Jim Butcher. _Storm Front_.'' Vaughn replied, indicating he was actually listening.

Chelsea cocked her head to the side. ''So, you were listening?''

''Mhm. And you did not rip your tonsils out. Nice try though.'' Vaughn teased, setting aside his novel on the very un-manly couch.

''Just shut up and get those marshmallows, you wise ass.''

Vaughn laughed and walked over to the top cupboard in the kitchen, where he easily reached the marshmallows. He held out his hand to Chelsea, and when Chelsea reached out for the white mushy treat, Vaughn quickly pulled the bag high over his head.

''I have a proposition for you.'' He stated, still holding the bag high.

''Come_ on_. The hot chocolate's getting _cold_.'' Chelsea whined.

''Relax. Now, if you agree to a little Rain Appreciation Lesson, then you get 'em. If not, no sugar for you.''

Chelsea didn't even hesitate to consider. ''Forget it. Marshmallows aren't worth it.'' She said, putting her mug in the microwave and setting a time to heat up the beverage.

''You don't mean that.'' Vaughn told his childish girlfriend, his cowboy boot tapping against the hardwood floor in wait. ''I'm sorry, Chels. Have I ever been mistaken for a patient person?''

Beat.

''Kay, I can see we've entered the No Humor Zone…Geez, it's _marshmallows_!'' Vaughn blabbered, disturbed by the glare he was getting a whole foot below him.

Chelsea's cerulean eyes narrowed as she looked up at Vaughn. ''What does this lesson involve?'' She asked.

Vaughn wasn't quite sure as of yet, but he opted to say, ''You'll find out. Don't you like surprises?''

At the very word, Chelsea became hooked. ''I like finding out the surprise even _more_.''

Vaughn shot her a look. ''Just trust me.''

''How come you're so sure of yourself?''

He smiled. ''Confidence.''

The brunette shot an incredulous look. ''Come on, deal or no deal?'' Vaughn asked.

Chelsea sighed. _Stupid marshmallows._ ''I'd rather choke on a tube sock.'' She admitted.

''Is that a yes?''

''Unfortunately.''

Vaughn smirked, handing her the bag as the microwave beeped.

* * *

The next morning, the silver haired cowboy snuck into the quiet household, careful not to wake Chelsea or Churro, her puffball of a canine.

Chelsea must have heard him. She sat up in bed and stared blankly into the dark, having no idea where the intruder might be in her house. ''Vaughn? Uhhh, how do I put this politely? Well, are you, uh, committing some sort of crime?''

He ignored her questions and creeped on over to the window that faced Chelsea's bed. He swiftly pushed aside the curtains, only to reveal Chelsea's enemy.

''AHH! It _BURNS_!'' Chelsea shouted, pulling the pillow over her head and snuggling deeper under the covers. ''I'm gonna put your head through a wall, Vaughn!!''

''Mhm.''

''Any wall!!''

''Mhm.''

''You can _pick_ the wall! But it's gonna be a wall, okay?!''

''Rise and shine, babe.'' Vaughn commanded, tugging on the covers.

The sleepy brunette held on tight, determined to not lose that fuzzy blanket of warmth_. ''No rise. No shine.''_ Chelsea protested.

''Come on. We have a big day ahead of us. Get out of bed and prepare yourself for the rest of the world. You gotta look human when we step outta here.'' Vaughn told Chelsea, succeeding in not only taking away the comforter but in flipping Chelsea off the bed and onto the floor.

''But…but…'' Chelsea tried to make an excuse but couldn't invent one.

Vaughn looked at her expectantly.

''I don't want you to go through all this trouble for me.'' Chelsea said, switching tactics.

''I'll blindfold you then.''

Chelsea huffed. "GO. A-WAY.'' Chelsea said grumpily, to which Vaughn just stood over her and slowly shook his head, an amused expression etched on his facial features.

Chelsea went back to threatening. ''I will eviscerate you.''

''Mhm.'' Vaughn continued.

''With an egg-beater most likely.''

The silver-haired cowboy decided to humor himself. ''Wow. That's graphic.''

''Consider yourself warned.''

Churro proceeded in licking her owner's face in a morning greeting.

Pushing away the annoyance, Chelsea snatches the alarm clock (which she never uses) and glances at the time before growling, anger glinting in her eyes. Vaughn walks into her kitchen to scavenge for food and drink.

''This contraption says it's six o' clock in the morning.'' Chelsea said slowly, anger etched and clearly distinct in every syllable.

''So does the sun that's shining outside.'' Vaughn said, scooping hot cocoa into the machine, which started gurgling when he turned it on.

Vaughn leaned against the countertop, a slight smile on his lips as he watched with amusement as Chelsea unsuccessfully tried to form words.

She finally found some when she said, ''You asshole. Get out. Shoo.''

Vaughn feigned hurt. ''What person that is nothing like me are you telling this to?''

''Urgh. You are just so…''

"Amazing? Perfect?'' Vaughn offered.

''_Unwelcome._''

Vaughn smirked as Chelsea proceeded to lie on the floor, Churro cuddling up against her.

''Anyway, no can do.'' Vaughn continued. ''You made a deal. Were those marshmallows really worth it?'' He asked, grabbing a bag of chips from counter and helping himself.

''Hey,'' Chelsea said weakly. ''Those are mine.'' She pointed out.

Vaughn smiled. ''Yeah? They're good.''

Chelsea glared as Vaughn laughed.

''Vaughn, honey, Saturday is the day of rest.'' Chelsea tried to persuade the man standing in her kitchen, lying back onto the bed and watching him open a bag of Pop Tarts.

''I think Sunday is the day of rest.'' Vaughn said, putting the strawberry pastries on a plate and picking up a mug of hot chocolate, walking over to Chelsea's bed.

''Well, Saturday is the day of _pre_-rest. You rest up so that when Sunday rolls around, you're well-rested for…_official_ rest!'' Chelsea desperately explained.

She took the plate and cup Vaughn handed her as he sat down on the edge of the bed. ''That…doesn't make any sense.''

''That's because it's six o' clock in the morning!!'' Chelsea shouted. ''And you wanna know something?'' She asked, crumbs falling out of her mouth as she chewed, ''now that I am full and warm from that hot chocolate and artificial strawberry deliciousness, I can go back to sleep _nice_ and _happy_.''

Vaughn chuckled at Chelsea's pathetic attempts. ''I'll take Churro for a walk while you get ready.''

Chelsea whipped her chocolate locks around as she turned her head harshly to Vaughn's direction. ''You can't be serious.''

''Oh, I am, Chels. Now get the hell up.'' Vaughn assured Chelsea as he tied Churro to a leash.

''You are the suckiest boyfriend that ever was conceived on this planet in the history of time. And that's some pretty damn tall shoes to fill.''

''Good thing I'm so tall.'' Vaughn deflected, walking out of her room and towards the front door.

When Chelsea heard the door shut, she lied back down, fully intent on dreaming again.

She heard Vaughn shout from outside, ''Don't even think about it!''

* * *

Chelsea deeply inhaled as she stepped outside her house, closing the door behind her. ''Vaughn, what is that smell?'' she said dreamily, getting drunk on air.

''That, sweetheart, is the smell of rain and dew in the early morning.'' Vaughn answered as he gently put an arm around Chelsea's waist, leading her down the block to the park.

''It makes me sleepy. Can I go back to bed now?'' Chelsea asked, pulling her hands into her coat for warmth.

''No. Focus.''

''I am a camera!'' Chelsea responded as she skipped down the street towards the bakery.

''We're going to the _park_.'' Vaughn told Chelsea as he dragged her in the other direction.

''But, Julia must be baking something extra delish. And she probably has _hot chocolate_.'' Chelsea rebutted, as she and Vaughn walked across the street and under the park entrance.

''After the trip to the park.''

''No park. No trip. Just chocolate… '' Chelsea said slowly. ''And marshmallows.'' She added.

Vaughn glanced at Chelsea in confusion. ''Oh, wait, now, you're talking crazy trying to confuse me, aren't you?''

''Aren't you?'' Chelsea questioned.

''What?'' Vaughn asked.

''Who?''

Vaughn shook his head.

''We're here. Wanna go by the lawn or by the bunch of trees?'' Vaughn asked, looking down only to see Chelsea now stooped to her knees, running her fingers through the grass.

''It's wet.'' She said.

''And shiny.'' Vaughn added, knowing she liked that too.

''So soft.'' Chelsea said also.

''You like shiny and soft.''

''Yeah, it's like your hair. Only better.''

_This is where I say a horribly insulting and terribly witty comment_. Vaughn thought as he frowned and pulled her toward the lawn. Upon arriving, he laid out a blanket and sat down on it. Chelsea sat down next to him, shivering.

''This is nice.'' Chelsea said, still shaking from the frigid morning temperature.

He pulled her close, and she stopped shivering.

''Thanks.''

''Mhm.''

They sat there in comfortable silence, as Chelsea stroked the grass with one hand and Vaughn's hair with the other.

* * *

Chelsea waltzed into Julia's Bakery, her boots wet from the grass outside and the bell chiming as she opened the door and held it open for Vaughn trailing behind her.

It was early lunchtime and the shop was already claustrophobic with customers. Chelsea snuck up behind Julia, poking her in the sides and eliciting a shriek out of her bakery owning friend.

''Chels, you scared me half to death.'' Julia scowled at Chelsea, coffee pot in her hand.

''Damn,'' Chelsea muttered disappointedly, ''following through_ has _always been a problem…''

''Whatever,'' Julia said. ''Grab a seat and I'll get you some hot chocolate. Black coffee Vaughn?''

Vaughn nodded but the blonde didn't see, already serving caffeine starved customers again.

Chelsea and Vaughn shrugged off their coats and took a seat. They watched the leaves fall outside the window as Julia set down two steaming mugs, one pitch dark and the other overflowing with pink marshmallows.

Chelsea gasped. ''Are these-''

''Indeed they are,'' Julia interrupted, ''I finally nailed the recipe. You can stop eating strawberry Pop Tarts in the morning, even though I told you not to.''

''What can I do?! I have a fetish for artificial strawberry crap.'' Chelsea admitted before scooping out the pink fluff with a spoon.

''Please don't tell me those are _actually_ strawberry flavored marshmallows.'' Vaughn begged, sipping his coffee.

''Indeed they are, and you doubted the awesomeness that is Julia. Don't you know she's Queen of the Universe?'' Chelsea asked Vaughn.

Said blonde blushed. ''Just drink your sugar juice before it gets cold.''

Chelsea and Julia then turned to Vaughn, who had shouted after hearing Julia's words. _What?_ They asked simultaneously.

_''NOT COLD!''_

Chelsea giggled in delight but was interrupted when someone a few tables away huffed and grabbed the coffee pot from behind the counter and poured themselves a cup before stalking over to the door.

''Hey!'' Julia shouted, angry. ''No tip?'' She half teased.

''Here's a tip,'' Lanna looked behind her and glared at Julia, ''serve your customers.'' She finished before exited the busy bakery.

''Whatever. She has an open tab.'' Julia comforted herself as she waved bye to Chelsea and Vaughn before striding over to new tables, whipping out a notepad from her apron and a pencil from behind her ear as she went.

''Pretty exciting day, huh?'' Vaughn asked Chelsea, ignoring her slurping.

''I find nothing exciting before noon.'' Chelsea said flatly, still slightly bitter about her early morning.

''You know,'' Vaughn started, ''some people like rising with the sun.''

Chelsea stared at him as if he had sprouted a new pair of wings. ''You lie.''

Vaughn laughed before he reached into his pocket and pulled out his vibrating phone.

''Uh oh.'' He said.

''What? What does it say?'' Chelsea asked, pushing aside her now empty mug.

''It was then I learned sadly that Chelsea could not read.'' Vaughn kid.

But Chelsea saw through his attempts of putting off the weather report texted to his phone, for she ran to the window and looked up before shouting ''DAMN!!!''

''No profanity!'' Julia yelled across the shop. She then turned to her waitresses gossiping in the corner, fresh baked bread in their manicured hands.

''I don't know if anyone noticed,'' Julia started, ''but suddenly I'm the only one working.''

''You're right boss.'' One brave waitress chirped. ''No one noticed.''

Vaughn ignored their loud conversation and slapped some money on the counter, walked over to Chelsea, and rested his chin on her head as he looked up too. ''Look at those clouds.''

''What do you think I'fm looking at here? Spaceships?'' Chelsea grumbled before pushing Vaughn off her and walking to the exit.

''It'll be okay.'' Vaughn reassured the brunette, helping her put on her coat.

They walked down the street to the movie theatre. ''Can we just watch some movies?'' Chelsea asked, taking Vaughn's Stetson and placing it on her own head.

Vaughn ignored the motion. ''Sure, you pay for ticks and I'll get Icees.'' Vaughn said as he and Chelsea walked in separate directions.

Chelsea didn't have to wait long before getting tickets for Funny People and afterwards for The Ugly Truth.

Vaughn walked over to her and handed her a large Icee. ''They didn't have strawberry. I got you cherry instead.''

Chelsea sighed, shuffling over to the appropriate theatre, Vaughn chuckling behind.

''All I gotta say is, Funny People better be damn funny.'' Chelsea threatened no one in particular. ''If it isn't, then there will be terror so huge only cockroaches will survive.''

* * *

Chelsea skipped out of theatre 10, dropping the empty cups (and missing) into the trash can on the way out, while Vaughn caught up in the mass of people exiting as well.

She continued skipping all the way to the front, and then waited for Vaughn to catch up.

Funny People had sucked (which elicited loud complaints from a certain shortie), but The Ugly Truth had made up for it by far.

Leaving Chelsea with uplifted spirits.

''Kay,'' Vaughn started. ''you wanna hang at my place for a bit so we can beat the-'' Vaughn stopped as he assessed the weather condition outside.

He detected falling droplets.

Chelsea, not hearing his cut off thought, talked about Abby from the chick flick. ''...I liked her humor and all, but can you say anal retentive micromanager?

''Not five times fast.'' Vaughn said distantly, lost in thought. Chelsea looked at him questioningly, but shrugged it off, chattering away.

Vaughn nodded silently at her, not listening, still trying to figure out a plan for Chelsea's expected rage.

He decided on stalling and strode over to Chelsea, wrapping his arms around her waist and looking intently into her dancing summer sky eyes. ''So,'' he said so lowly that only Chelsea could hear, ''did you like The Ugly Truth?''

''What do you think?'' Chelsea questioned back, as she had stopped talking about the movie now, and had snaked her arms around Vaughn's neck.

''I wouldn't ask a question if I didn't know the answer.'' Vaughn shot back.

I lurved it. Did you?'' Chelsea asked.

''I didn't mind it.''

''Come on. Just a quick opinion.''

Vaughn sighed. ''It took me two seconds to tell you I didn't mind it, that's as quick as I get.''

''You stink.'' Chelsea pouted.

''It could be worse…''

''How?''

Vaughn hesitated. ''It could be raining.''

It was then thunder rumbled, making Chelsea whip her head around.

Only to take in the depressing weather outside the building.

Chelsea sighed sadly, resting her head against Vaughn's chest. ''Jinxer.''

The cowboy nuzzled his face into her neck, murmuring against her skin that she smelled of strawberries.

''Are you trying to distract me?'' Chelsea questioned. ''If so, it's working.''

Vaughn smirked against her skin as he watched the autumn leaves dance with the storm's wind and droplets. ''Come on,'' he challenged. ''Let's go to my place and watch some decent Adam Sandler movies.''

Chelsea agreed and they steppefd outside, standing for a moment in the downpour.

Chelsea would have none of that though. In the glow of the moon, she sprinted into the dark, leaves of every shade and pelting rain flying around her.

After a beat and a flash of lightening, Vaughn ran after her.

* * *

''Woe, it's me.'' Chelsea said as she slowed to a stop on Vaughn's front porch, her hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. Her chocolate locks were dripping, causing their very own rainstorm.

''The rain isn't entirely terrible, Chels.'' Vaughn cajoled, taking Chelsea's hands in his own the very moment lightning illuminated the gray skies.

''It's too depressing. I hate it when the sky cries.'' Chelsea admitted.

Vaughn smiled as he took a seat on the steps, feeling Chelsea jump behind him at a crackle of thunder.

Chelsea plopped down next to him, becoming thoroughly doused as she asked, ''Why do you like the rain so much?''

Vaughn dodged the question with one of his own. ''Why do you hate the rain so much?''

''I already told you. Now you tell me.'' Chelsea demanded, her curiosity mounting.

''It's an anomaly. You'll never know.'' Vaughn told her ominously, his blonde hair dripping.

''Anomalies bug me.''

''Then I guess you're gonna have to _suffer_.'' Vaughn teased.

Chelsea didn't respond at first, but took in the line of his chin, his eyes and long lashes, the way his fingers were already brushing a bit of hair off her face, entwining themselves in the strands there.

He looked at her and the tension between them was palpable. It made Chelsea's stomach flutter as if it were inhabited by a bunch of butterflies.

Chelsea shook her head, laughing slightly. "You're impossible." And she leaned forward to kiss him on the cheek – just to spite him – but he moved his head, so she moved hers, and his lips were soft on hers and his hands with their long, tanned fingers were surprisingly gentle, resting lightly on her shoulders, and he tasted like rain.

* * *

_''That's why.''_

* * *

**And...fin! **

**Ahhh, yes. How I loathe the rain. Let me count the ways...But! it makes for a nice story...I guess. You tell me! In the form of a review, that is. **

**Yeah, if you like it a lot, and want a sequel, lemme know and I shall comply. **

**Now, if you would be ever so kind. I need some critiques peeps!! (Haha, I lurve rhyming.) **

**Hope you enjoyed!! **

**x,**

**Mrs. Story**


End file.
